The Doctrine of Salvation
How
"Righteousness by Faith"
Really Works
"Righteousness by Faith"
Really Works
Transcript of A-3
Welcome back to our study on The Doctrine of Salvation - How “Righteousness by Faith” Really Works
We are still in Section A: What Is Sin? and this is Lesson 3: Sin as Choice
We are still in Section A: What Is Sin? and this is Lesson 3: Sin as Choice
Is it really true that guilt is the result of one’s personal choice and is not the result of our birth as children of Adam? Does the Bible teach that sin and guilt and condemnation come from choice, not from the fact that we are born into the fallen human family beset with the inherited results of sin? Yes! Sin is a choice.
So how do we know what sin is? Romans 7:7-9 tells us: I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. For without the law sin was dead (non-existent). For I (sinful flesh) was alive without the law once: but when the commandment [law] came, sin revived (came into existence), and I died (was condemned, because the wages of sin is death).
It is a knowledge of God's law that makes us aware of our sins and defines us as sinners in God's sight. We sin when we know what God's will is and choose to disobey Him.
The Bible teaches this by explaining: What caused sin for the Jews of Christ's day? John 15:22-24 explains: If I (Jesus) had not come and spoken unto them (the Jews), they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak (covering) for their sin... If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now they have both seen and hated (rejected) both me and my Father.
So, what caused sin for the Jews of Christ's day? It was when the light (Jesus as truth and righteousness) came to them, and they rejected Him, that they were counted guilty of their sins. Because of their knowledge of Jesus and what He had done, they were responsible for their choice to reject Him.
When were the Pharisees guilty of sin? John 9:41 explains: Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin (guilt) remaineth.
Jesus is telling the people of His day that sin is not counted as guilt when there has been no opportunity for the person to know the truth and make an informed choice. The Pharisees were certainly born with the same fallen natures with which we are born, but this did not automatically make them guilty sinners. Jesus is making sin and guilt dependent on knowledge and understanding.
What changes evil regarding sins of ignorance (such as a cat torturing a mouse) into personal sin and guilt is available and understandable light (awareness of God’s will). When we understand God's will and choose to disobey, we are guilty sinners in the sight of God.
When do we sin? James 4:17 tells us: Therefore to him that knoweth to do good (not sin), and doeth it not (sin), to him it is sin.
Notice again that knowledge and sin are tied closely together. If a person does not know what is right, that person is not held accountable for doing wrong (committing sin) and is not seen as guilty.
What is the difference between sin and temptation? James 1:14-15 says; But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Sin as Nature places sin in the drawing and enticing of our fallen nature. Sin as Choice - places sin in the choosing to yield to the drawing and enticing. The drawing or pull of the fallen nature is temptation, not sin.
The following statement describes this process: “The sin of evilspeaking begins with the cherishing of evil thoughts... An impure thought tolerated, an unholy desire cherished, and the soul is contaminated, its integrity compromised...His own consent must first be gained; the soul must purpose the sinful act before passion can dominate over reason or iniquity triumph over conscience.” -- Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 177
It is not the impure thought or unholy desire itself that makes us sinners. These are part of our fallen nature, which we inherit and can do nothing to prevent. It is the choice of tolerating and cherishing these pulls from within our fallen nature that constitute sin and make us guilty.
Here are two more statements for even more clarity: “If light comes, and that light is set aside or rejected, then comes condemnation and the frown of God; but before the light comes, there is no sin, or there is no light for them to reject.” -- Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 116
“There are thoughts and feelings suggested and aroused by Satan that annoy even the best of men; but if they are not cherished, if they are repulsed as hateful, the soul is not contaminated with guilt, and no other is defiled by their influence.” -- Review and Herald, March 27, 1888
We are not guilty sinners because we have these thoughts and feelings (temptations) as a result of inheriting a fallen nature. We are only contaminated with guilt when we choose to cherish or dwell upon these sinful thoughts.
For what sins are we held guilty? Ezekiel 18:20 says: The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. We are only held guilty of our own sins.
How does God deal with sins of ignorance? Acts 17:30 says: The times of this ignorance God winked at (ignored); but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.
All of us have participated in wrong things when we didn't know they were wrong. We have all broken God's law ignorantly. God, in His great mercy, does not hold us guilty for these sins. He does not have to forgive us for these sins of ignorance. He chooses to “wink at” or overlook these sins, because our hearts were not in rebellion against Him.
Conclusion: The concept of sin and guilt and condemnation applies to willful rebellion against God, just as in the Garden of Eden. God does not hold us responsible for inheriting a defective nature. However, He is interested in the state of our mind and attitude, and in the motives of our heart. In fact, God is so interested that He has provided a cure that can restore in us a perfect nature. Sin is all about rebellion and choices, not about inheritance or ignorance.
There are two concepts that do not work well together: inevitability and responsibility. If sin is inevitable, because of inheriting a fallen nature, then I am not responsible for it. It is someone else's fault and problem. However, if sin is my own choice, then I alone am responsible for it, and I must deal with it directly, rather than casting blame on someone else.
Sin and guilt reside only within those higher faculties of the mind responsible for choosing evil, not in the lower nature which suffers the effects of natural law and are a part of the earth's degradation from the curse (result) of sin.
Sin, at its root, is self-love. Thus, sin is always determined by our motives, by the choice to put self first. Sin is the choice to separate from God by putting self first.
So how do we know what sin is? Romans 7:7-9 tells us: I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. For without the law sin was dead (non-existent). For I (sinful flesh) was alive without the law once: but when the commandment [law] came, sin revived (came into existence), and I died (was condemned, because the wages of sin is death).
It is a knowledge of God's law that makes us aware of our sins and defines us as sinners in God's sight. We sin when we know what God's will is and choose to disobey Him.
The Bible teaches this by explaining: What caused sin for the Jews of Christ's day? John 15:22-24 explains: If I (Jesus) had not come and spoken unto them (the Jews), they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak (covering) for their sin... If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now they have both seen and hated (rejected) both me and my Father.
So, what caused sin for the Jews of Christ's day? It was when the light (Jesus as truth and righteousness) came to them, and they rejected Him, that they were counted guilty of their sins. Because of their knowledge of Jesus and what He had done, they were responsible for their choice to reject Him.
When were the Pharisees guilty of sin? John 9:41 explains: Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin (guilt) remaineth.
Jesus is telling the people of His day that sin is not counted as guilt when there has been no opportunity for the person to know the truth and make an informed choice. The Pharisees were certainly born with the same fallen natures with which we are born, but this did not automatically make them guilty sinners. Jesus is making sin and guilt dependent on knowledge and understanding.
What changes evil regarding sins of ignorance (such as a cat torturing a mouse) into personal sin and guilt is available and understandable light (awareness of God’s will). When we understand God's will and choose to disobey, we are guilty sinners in the sight of God.
When do we sin? James 4:17 tells us: Therefore to him that knoweth to do good (not sin), and doeth it not (sin), to him it is sin.
Notice again that knowledge and sin are tied closely together. If a person does not know what is right, that person is not held accountable for doing wrong (committing sin) and is not seen as guilty.
What is the difference between sin and temptation? James 1:14-15 says; But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Sin as Nature places sin in the drawing and enticing of our fallen nature. Sin as Choice - places sin in the choosing to yield to the drawing and enticing. The drawing or pull of the fallen nature is temptation, not sin.
The following statement describes this process: “The sin of evilspeaking begins with the cherishing of evil thoughts... An impure thought tolerated, an unholy desire cherished, and the soul is contaminated, its integrity compromised...His own consent must first be gained; the soul must purpose the sinful act before passion can dominate over reason or iniquity triumph over conscience.” -- Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 177
It is not the impure thought or unholy desire itself that makes us sinners. These are part of our fallen nature, which we inherit and can do nothing to prevent. It is the choice of tolerating and cherishing these pulls from within our fallen nature that constitute sin and make us guilty.
Here are two more statements for even more clarity: “If light comes, and that light is set aside or rejected, then comes condemnation and the frown of God; but before the light comes, there is no sin, or there is no light for them to reject.” -- Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 116
“There are thoughts and feelings suggested and aroused by Satan that annoy even the best of men; but if they are not cherished, if they are repulsed as hateful, the soul is not contaminated with guilt, and no other is defiled by their influence.” -- Review and Herald, March 27, 1888
We are not guilty sinners because we have these thoughts and feelings (temptations) as a result of inheriting a fallen nature. We are only contaminated with guilt when we choose to cherish or dwell upon these sinful thoughts.
For what sins are we held guilty? Ezekiel 18:20 says: The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. We are only held guilty of our own sins.
How does God deal with sins of ignorance? Acts 17:30 says: The times of this ignorance God winked at (ignored); but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.
All of us have participated in wrong things when we didn't know they were wrong. We have all broken God's law ignorantly. God, in His great mercy, does not hold us guilty for these sins. He does not have to forgive us for these sins of ignorance. He chooses to “wink at” or overlook these sins, because our hearts were not in rebellion against Him.
Conclusion: The concept of sin and guilt and condemnation applies to willful rebellion against God, just as in the Garden of Eden. God does not hold us responsible for inheriting a defective nature. However, He is interested in the state of our mind and attitude, and in the motives of our heart. In fact, God is so interested that He has provided a cure that can restore in us a perfect nature. Sin is all about rebellion and choices, not about inheritance or ignorance.
There are two concepts that do not work well together: inevitability and responsibility. If sin is inevitable, because of inheriting a fallen nature, then I am not responsible for it. It is someone else's fault and problem. However, if sin is my own choice, then I alone am responsible for it, and I must deal with it directly, rather than casting blame on someone else.
Sin and guilt reside only within those higher faculties of the mind responsible for choosing evil, not in the lower nature which suffers the effects of natural law and are a part of the earth's degradation from the curse (result) of sin.
Sin, at its root, is self-love. Thus, sin is always determined by our motives, by the choice to put self first. Sin is the choice to separate from God by putting self first.
- Sin is the choice to cherish evil.
- Sin is the choice to remain ignorant of God's will.
- Sin is the choice to misuse our abilities.
- Sin is the choice to neglect our responsibilities.
- Sin is always by choice.